Wildcats win final game of the season

Arizona could have had plenty of excuses this week, but instead came out with focus and defeated Louisiana Lafayette 45-37 at Arizona Stadium Saturday night.

Arizona had every reason to be distracted this week, but instead came out focused and with enough offense to defeat Louisiana Lafayette 45-37 at Arizona Stadium.

"I am one hundred percent proud of the resilience our team has shown for the second half of this season," Tim Kish said. "Their ability to focus and believe in the plan has been unbelievable.

"It's never been about wins and losses. It's about playing our game. I am also proud of our coaching staff. They are a group of men that I have never been happier to have supporting me this season. They will all be fine in whatever niche they end up in."

ULL started with the ball on its own 20-yard line and had a bad snap on third down that brought it to its own five-yard line. Arizona look over at its opponent's 46-yard line with an eight-yard pass from Bryson Beirne to David Douglas. Two plays later, Keola Antolin caught a 12-yard pass. The drive then stalled for two downs before beirne threw an interception, allowing the Ragin Cajuns to take over on their own 40-yard line.

Alnzo Harris started with a six-yard run and then Blaine Gautier found Javone Lawson for a 43-yard pass. On the next play, Harry Peoples rans it in, as the extra point made it 7-0 with 9:18 left in the first quarter.

ULL then recovered an onside kick and took over on its own 42-yard line. Peoples started with a 17-yard completion, but two plays later, Dan Pettinato came up with a sack for a loss of 13 yards that basically ended the drive and forced a punt two plays later.

Arizoan took over with a 16-yard pass from Nick Foles to Taimi Tutogi. Two plays later, David Douglas caught one for ten yards and Antolin followed with a 21-yard run to the ULL 28. The drive then stalled and forced John Bonano to kick the 46-yard field goal, which would have made it 7-3 with 3:18 left in the first. However, defensive holding was called and Arizona went for it on fourth and one, as Daniel Jenkins converted.

Three plays later, Douglas had a 12-yard reception and Arizona was at the ULL three-yard line. Antolin. Antolin's first carry went for nothing, his second for two yards, and his third for nothing, forcing fourth and goal from the one to end the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, Tutogi ran it in and the extra point tied the game at seven.

ULL took the ball on its own 31 and was able to get the first down when it recovered its own fumble for a nine-yard gain. It looks as if the UA had forced a punt a few plays later, but the Ragin Cajuns went with the fake and Dwight Bentley caught the 13-yard pass for the first down.

A few plays later, Lawson caught a 13-yard pass and then Ladarius Green gained 19 yards on a reverse. Harris then gained seven on the ground and two plays l;ater, caught the four-yard touchdown pass, as the extra point missed and the score was 13-7 with 9:14 left in the half.

Arizona started on its own 20-yard line looking for an answer and got help from a personal foul call a few plays into the drive. Two plays later, Terrence Miller caught a 14-yard pass and followed with a 31-yard catch. The drive then stalled and Arizona was forced to settle for a 28-yard field goal attempt, which was blocked.

The defense finally stepped up for Arizona and forced a three and out, as Jenkins gained six yards on a shovel pass on the first play. He then gained 33 yards on the ground before a 24-yard pass to Juron Criner put the Wildcats on the ten-yard line. Two plays later, Criner caught a ten-yard touchdown to break the all-time receiving touchdown mark for Arizona with 31, as the excta point gave the UA the 14-13 lead with a little over three minutes left in the half.

ULL tried to answer, but fumbled a few plays into the drive, as Marquis Flowers came up with it and brought it to the opponent's 32-yard line. A few plays into the drive, Foles was the victim of a roughing the passer penalty. A handful of plays after that, he found Douglas for a 12-yard touchdown, as the extra point gave Arizona the 21-13 lead going into the half.

"Nick Foles is a warrior," Kish said. "Not many people know of the situation he is in right now with his rib, but I'm very sure he shouldn't have played as much as he did tonight. Nick was definitely not following through with his passes. He couldn't and at halftime when I asked him if he wanted to sit out, it wasn't even a question/ he was going back out."

Arizona started the first half with the ball and a 13-yard pass to Criner. However, the drive stalled a few plays later when Foles was sacked and Arizona punted. ULL then went three and out on its drive and the Wildcats took over on their own 27-yard line.

Foles found Jenkins for eight yards and Criner for 24 yards. A few plays later, jenkins ran for five yards and Douglas followed with a seven-yard catch. Two plays after that, Jenkins caught a 12-yard pass and then Foles found Criner for 15 yards. Jenkins then ran it in from seven yards out, as the extra point made it 28-13.

ULL needed an answer badly and started on its own 37-yard line with a four yard pass to Lawson. Peoples then caught one for 15 yards and two plays later, Gautier found Green for 24 yards. The Wildcats were called for roughing the passer on the next play and Gautier then found Green for eight yards to Arizona's two-yard line. The Ua forced ULL to go for the 20-yard field goal, as it made the score 28-16 with 5:21 left in the third.

Arizona's ensuing drive started on its own 27-yard line with a 44-yard pass from Foles to David Roberts. The drive then stalled on the next three plays and Bonano settled for a 39-yard field goal, which made the score 31-16 with 3:22 left.

The Ragin Cajuns started on their own 13-yard line with a nine-yard run by Harris. Two plays later, Green caught a 13-yard pass for the first down. The drive then stalled as the Arizona defense continued to play well and ULL punted to end the third quarter.

After an incomplete pass to start the fourth quarter, Foles found Antolin for 13 yards and the first down. Antolin then gained five more on the ground and Arizona was on its own 38-yard line. Two plays later, Foles telegraphed a pass and Jemarlou Moten picked it off and returned it for a score, as the extra point made it 31-23 with 13:47 left.

Jenkisn returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards to the ULL two-yard line, but Arizona was called for a delay of game that brought it back five yards. However, it did not mean much, as Antolin ran it in on the next play and the extra point made it 38-23.

On the Ragin cajuns' first play from scrimmage, Gautier found Jamal Robinson for 17 yards. Two plays later, he connected with Peoples for nine then harris for nine more and Robinson for 14. Three plays later, Walker caught a five-yard pass, allowing Darryl Surgent to run it in from four yards out on the next play, as the extra point made it 38-30 with 10:26 left.

Arizona then started on its own 28-yard line with a three-yard pass to Gino Crump. Antolin then lost a yard on a pass and Foles gained seven on the ground to force a fourth and one from Arizona's own 38-yard line. Tutogi gained one yard on fourth down for the conversion and Foles found Douglas for eight yards on the next play. Antolin then gained 20 on the ground and two plays later, Foles hit Criner for 35 yards, as the extra point made it 45-30 with 6:08 left.

"Juron Criner, when he makes up his mind, and he wants to play, he is unstoppable at this level. At the next, he will definitely see competition, but in the college level he can be unstoppable. He will also be the first to say that this season was the first time he felt like he was a part of the team."

The Ragin cajuns came right back, as Gautier connected with Lawson for 57 yards before finding him for a 20-yard touchdown with the extra point cutting the lead to 45-37.

Arizona got the ball back with five minutes left and was able to chip away at the clock before ULL forced a fourth and one. On that fourth and one, the Ragin Cajuns went offsides, which sealed the game.